*Please note throughout the Prologue and Part One (year one) there are some chapters that may or may not be from the original Author and Book; Twins: A Different Life By Jessiikaa15, on Fanfiction.net.*
Harry was lead deathly still and pale as a ghost, the only indication that he was even still alive was the glowing ball of green light indicating his stable life force. Remus released a pained whine and went over to the bed jolting Sirius and James into moving slowly over. James shakily reached to picked up Harry's hand; it was cold.
"I need - I..." He couldn't seem to find the words to speak, his mind couldn't process what was happening.
"It was touch and go," Narcissa admitted quietly, "I did everything I could, but somethings were so severe..."
"Honestly, it can't be that bad. He only fell." Dumbledore 'whispered' and before anyone could react, there was a resounding slap as Narcissa's hand connected with Dumbledore's cheek.
"You, loathsome creature." She hissed, making a recoil as the sheer hatred in her voice. "Don't you dare stand there when my nephew is lying on the brink of death. Don't you dare stand there and insinuate that this is anything less serious to get the Golden child off the hook. He only fell. Next time you only fall, I expect you to also have your spine broken in three places, the back of your skull shattered, your ribs splinter and have two embed themselves in your lungs, filling them with your own blood so you're drowning and there is nothing you can do about it because nearly every other bone in your body is fractured, broken or chipped. Next time you only fall you better pray to Lady Magic herself that you gain the same injuries or so help me Merlin I will give you them myself."
During her speech, which had risen in volume and anger, she had the alarmed Dumbledore in to the wall and was nearly nose to nose with him.
Her magic had flared in her anger, rippling in warning and reminding everyone though she may be the epitome of Pureblood, she was born of the House of Black.
Behind her, both Sirius and Draco had gained a greenish tinge around their faces, while James and Remus had gone a greyish white colour both looking at Harry as if physically wounded. Narcissa, once she felt she had glared Dumbledore in to utter silence, turned and walked back to her husband, gently rubbing the boy's backs from where they sat.
"You may leave now, gentlemen. Take the child with you." Narcissa informed them coldly, not sparing them a look, obviously expecting her words to be followed.
When will we know?" Remus asked quietly, gently stroking his cub's dark hair.
"It depends, tonight is crucial but he will still be in danger for at least a week." Narcissa sighed and Remus nodded, Sirius swallowed hard; they were in for a long night.
"I must go to my Snakes," Severus murmured, "They will be restless."
"I'll come with you," Draco and Theo nodded in agreeance, Draco's voice surprisingly calm.
"Are you sure?" Lucius wondered and Draco looked him straight in the eye.
"Slytherins take care of their own." Lucius nodded, a proud look in his eye and allowed the two to leave with his close friend. The three of them walked in silence down to the dungeons and straight to the Slytherin House rooms.
Every member of Slytherin was in the common room and the noise was most unusual for the normally reserved House, and it was obvious all of them were furious. As soon as they caught sight of their Head of House silence blanketed the room, all of them righting themselves and giving him their full attention in a sign of respect.
"Today, one of our own was attacked and put in to the hospital wing," Severus said, his voice perfectly even. The Slytherins seemed to hiss at the reminder, sharing dark looks before focusing back on their Head.
Silence.
Not the respectful lack of noise presented to their Head of House, but complete and utter deathly silence, filled with horrified disbelief as almost the entire House looked at the man with wide eyes. "He sustained numerous injuries. Lady Malfoy has worked on him to the best she could but she can offer no guarantees." If anything, his words made the silence grow stronger. It was a well- known fact, amongst those informed that the Lady Malloy was one of the best healers of her generation, and the Dark Lord's own battle healer for those who truly knew. If she had been unable to give a guarantee of his survival it was a whole lot worse than any of them could have even imagined.
"The Headmaster has deemed these happenings as an accident" For the third time since he got there, a resounding silence seemed to build in the room, though Severus knew it was only a matter of seconds before this one was broken. He was proven correct when the entire House seemed to burst in to outraged protests, exclaimed over how it was very clearly not an accident.
Severus allowed them their outrage, feeling his own bubbling under the skin; one of his Snakes could be dead. Severus had never lost a student, be it withdrawal, illness or transfer, and the thought he might lose one to a death was filling him with a feeling of nausea. Not only was it just one of his students, but it was his best student, dare he say his favourite student (being that Draco was his Godson of course). Snape brought his attentions outwards again when he heard Pucey, who was sat with a murderous looking Flint, "What are we going to do about this? She cannot go unpunished!"
"Her father has taken and broken her broom. She is no longer aloud to fly and he took her one thing she still held dear to her. The Hieres title. But it is Dumbledore who states he was out of line."
From this Severus knew Dumbledore and Evangeline will soon have their minds changed. The loud conversations turned to low murmurs of discussed plans, each of them looking around eagerly to see if someone had the perfect idea to make Evangeline Potter suffer even more.
Severus knew, deep down, that he had somewhat of a moral obligation to stop his House from attacking the girl, but it was very very very deep down and he knew should he even attempt to suggest that they lay off he would be ignored and probably shunned. As it was, he was neither stupid nor particularly bothered by the fact that Dumbledore's and Evangeline's next few days were going to turn in to something of a nightmare; she had attempted to kill Harry and Slytherins took care of theirs.
"We are going to make her wish she had never survived the killing curse." Severus almost didn't recognize his Godson's voice, it was the coldest he had ever heard the boy speak and it was as sharp a blades. The mask the boy had on his face would be one Lucius would find difficult to uphold in such a state, his eyes were like chips of ice and his face could have been made of marble. Severus wondered if it was possible that his Godson would become a murder at the age of eleven.
Everyone had turned to listen to the Malfoy Heir, quite a feat given the fact that he was merely a first year. Of course, he was the Malfoy Heir, Heir to one of the most influential Houses in their world, let alone in Slytherin. Add that to that he was one of the best friends with Harry, he was someone worth listening to.
"I will take my leave," Severus intoned, "If I do not know, I cannot answer. Be aware, we are Slytherin. Even if they know its you, do not get caught" He looked around at them all, managing to find a touch of amusement at some of the offended looks he caught at his words, before leaving the room. Draco moved to a more central position, casting his eyes around the room and finding himself pleased at the determination he could see.
"Evangeline Potter dared attack one of our own, not only an attack but a lethal one; Harry might die." Draco almost choked whilst saying the mere words; he hoped, prayed and begged Lady Magic to make sure that didn't happen; it couldn't be time for Harry to die yet!
"We are going to make her suffer for it. Anyone who is with her will pay, anyone who tries to help her will pay, and anyone speaking ill of Harry will pay." The room broke out in to smirks, groups quickly coming together to make plans for what things they could do to Evangeline, make it obvious why it had happened but still get away as innocent.
"If we're going to make her truly suffer we need to work out a way to get in to the tower." Flint pointed out, "Something that will probably be difficult with Dumbledore protecting his Golden Child."
"We should be able to get away with following and listening in to one of the younger years under a disillusion." Pucey pointed out, "They won't know what to look for."
"We can split that between but, as soon as we have access in to the tower..." Theo trailed off, his mind throwing an obvious but disgustingly brilliant idea to the front of his thoughts and a slow smirk came to his face.
Anyone who knew any high ranking purebloods would recognise that look, it was an expression that said he had been uncommonly smart and someone was going to suffer because of it. Sharing it with Draco by a look, who inturned broke into a smirk. They both knew who to go to. "I can get us in to the tower." Draco stated for the pair.
"How, Malfoy?" Flint questioned and the blond eyed him.
"Do you trust that I would never ever let her get away with what she has done to Harry?" He asked the Captain, knowing what he was about to do was incredibly risky but going to be incredibly worth it.
"Of course,"
"Then give us ten minutes." Draco said, turning and striding up to his dorm and grabbing the map from Harry's warded drawer. The now dubbed Potter Heir had told Theo and Draco they were welcome to use the map whenever they wanted and they could not think of a better time to use it without Harry present.
They left, Draco nodding to the Slytherins as he slipped out of the corridor and activated the map, his mercury eyes flashing across the worn parchment. Theo and Draco shared a look as they caught sight of the names they were looking for, the names were a lot closer than any of them would have expected and quickly hurried off to meet them, with Draco keeping his eyes trained on the map so no one could sneak up on him.
They both had to be careful too, no one other than a Slytherin could see them meet with them, and even then, they both had to be careful with the Snakes after everything had happened.
"Malfoy,"
"Nott."
"We had hoped one of you would leave soon," Draco was very shocked at the sound of their voices, not that they made him jump, but the fact that they were colder than he had thought possible for the two menaces.
"Twins," He greeted. They stepped out of the shadows and if he wasn't feeling the same way then he probably would have flinched at the dark expressions on their faces; he had never seen the Weasley twins look so serious.